Webtoon as a New Korean Wave in the Process of Glocalization

Abstract

With the development of Web 2.0, the online publication of Korean cartoons has increased substantially. The webtoon is a new genre of publishing Korean comics (manhwa) online, and is considered a unique case in the global cartoon market. The increase of Internet users and digital cultural consumption has established conditions for fostering the platform for webtoons and their production. In addition, the popularity of Korean dramas and K-pop has cultivated the spread of webtoons in the countries receiving dramas and K-pop. This study discusses the characteristics of Korean webtoons and their development using the concept of "glocal culture. " The glocalization of Korean cultural contents is the combined result of local socio-cultural characteristics of Korea, the hybridization of global and local features, and the transnational consumption of the Korean cultural contents. Such glocalizing dynamics can be seen in the process of the consumption and creation of new forms of pop culture in the countries receiving Korean Wave products. The paper argues that webtoons should also be understood as an exemplary glocalization of Korean culture, representing the social and cultural characteristics of Korea, while also having an impact on foreign comics industries in the age of digitalization. In addition, the glocalization process of Korean webtoons promotes cultural communications establishing a global webtoon fandom.

Impact of diversifying media content on country's economic potential: case study of South Korea

“…For companies such as Naver and Daum, publishing comics is just one of the many tools to attract traffic thereby increasing the cost of advertising (JANG, SONG, 2017). However, the structure of this phenomenon is significantly more complex.…”

Line Webtoon Sebagai Industri Komik Digital

“…Terdapat bentuk berbeda antara LINE Webtoon dengan komik secara konvensional. Perbedaan ini terlihat dari karakteristik dan elemen-elemen yang dimiliki LINE Webtoon (Jang and Song, 2017) Perwakilan LINE Webtoon menyatakan bahwa setiap harinya dari lebih 6 juta pembaca, platform komik digital ini tetap dapat mempertahankan keseimbangan pembaca antara lakilaki dan perempuan dengan ratio 50:50 (Macdonald, 2016). Menurut JunKoo (Macdonald, 2016) keseimbangan pembaca baik laki-laki maupun perempuan disebabkan karena Webtoonist mampu menciptakan karakter yang kuat dan hadirnya genre yang beragam.…”

Platformizing Webtoons: The Impact on Creative and Digital Labor in South Korea

“…Few academic studies have analyzed Webtoons to date, despite their meteoric rise in popularity and growing recognition among South Korean society. Moreover, existing studies directed attention toward Webtoons themselves as a separate entity, either as a pedagogic tool (Choi, 2016), or as an engine of the new Korean Wave 1 (Jang & Song, 2017). In some studies, the focus has been on the "binary relationship" between platforms and content creators, often articulating their relationship in terms of the capitalist exploitation of creative labor (Jin, 2015).…”